United States High School Yearbooks by County
Samuel Penny, 92, was a self-employed painter
Samuel Brewster Penny, 92, died Dec. 6 at New Milford Hospital.
Mr. Penny was born Feb. 29, 1910, in the Ball Pond District of New Fairfield on Grandpa Taylor’s farm, to Alfred and Grace (Taylor) Penny.
He attended the one-room schoolhouse on Ball Pond and graduated from Danbury High School, Class of 1927.
He was a talented painter, and initially worked with his father but later was a self-employed painter of signs.
Mr. Penny loved speaking and writing of days-gone-by and, as a longtime member of the New Fairfield Historical Society, wrote many articles for the Citizen News. He was a direct descendant of Elder Brewster who came to the “New World” on the Mayflower.
He is survived by three nieces, Dorothy Landsiedel of Brookfield, Shirley Porowitski of New Milford and Mabel Williams of New Fairfield; and two nephews, Robert Johnson and Richard Johnson of New Fairfield. He was predeceased by a sister, Antoinette; a brother, Oliver; his longtime friend and companion, Karolyn Clark; and two nephews, Oliver and Albert Johnson.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury is in charge of arrangements.
Samuel Giarratano, 92, father of Bridgewater man
Samuel F. Giarratano, 92, died Dec. 7 at Ashlar of Newtown.
Mr. Girratano was born July 8, 1910, in Caltanessetta, Sicily, Italy, son of the late Michael and MaryAnn (Scarpulla) Giarratano.
He came to the United States as an infant and graduated from Ansonia High School. He lived in Danbury for 30 years before retiring to Ft. Myers, Fla., in 1972.
He had worked as a barber at Southbury Training School. He was active with St. Joseph Holy Name Society and the Knights of Columbus. He was a musician, bowler and golfer.
Mr. Giarratano is survived by two sons, Michael and his wife Valerie of Newtown, and Donald and his wife Ann of Bridgewater; two brothers, Alfred of Ansonia and Arthur of Seymour; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Newtown Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 344, Newtown, CT 06470.
Robert Shropshire, 69, father of Washington man
Robert Hutchinson Shropshire, 69, of Cathole Road, Litchfield, and Chester, Vt., died Dec. 9 in Chester. He was the husband of Claudia J. (Logan) Shropshire and widower of Nancy (Bronson) Shropshire.
Mr. Shropshire was born Feb. 21, 1933, in Yonkers, N.Y., the son of Helen (Hutchinson) Shropshire and the late Horace L. Shropshire.
He was the superintendent of White Memorial Foundation from 1967 until 1983. Most recently, he was a home improvement contractor.
He was actively involved with the Soil and Water Conservation District on local, state and national levels. In addition, he was involved with the Northeastern Loggers Association.
Mr. Shropshire was founder and former president of Wood Producers of Connecticut. He was a member and past president of the Litchfield-Morris Rotary Club and the Bantam Lake Authority.
He was a deputy sheriff, a district fire warden and fire school instructor. He belonged to the Litchfield and Winchester volunteer fire departments.
Besides his wife and mother, he is survived by a son, Caleb of Washington Depot; two daughters, Carrie Shropshire-Bialoglowy of Litchfield and Abigail Lejeune-Ford of Torrington; a brother, Horace; and seven grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, South Street, Litchfield. The Rowe Funeral Home of Litchfield is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association Northwest, 24 Village Green, Litchfield, CT 06759.
Concetta Granata, 85, mother of New Milfordite
Concetta Granata, 85, of Norwalk died Dec. 3 at the Honey Hill Care Center, Norwalk. She was the widow of Nicholas Granata.
Mrs. Granata was born May 5, 1917, in Norwalk, daughter of the late Angelo and Antoinette Tucciarone.
She was a former employee of Meyer’s Manufacturing and Perkin Elmer. She enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. and Europe, gardening and spending time with her family.
She is survived by a daughter, Elaine of Denver, Colo.; two sons, Richard of Norwalk and William of New Milford; two brothers, Ralph Tucciarone of Vermont and Thomas Tucciarone of Old Lyme; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by three sisters, Mary, Lucy and Filomena.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Parkway Assembly of God, 260 New Canaan Ave., Norwalk, CT 06850.
Christine Quigley, was sister of Bridgewater man
Christine Quigley has died after a battle with cancer. She was the wife of R. Glen Zeh.
Ms. Quigley was the daughter of the late Robert and Marjorie Heim of Sandy Hook.
She was an avid fly-fisherwoman who loved fishing and kayaking the Farmington River.
Besides her husband, she is survived by a son, Mark of Danbury; five sisters, Ellen McKeon of Trumbull, Janet Avery of Norwalk, Marjorie Crowe and Cynthia Nadler of Highlands, N.C., and Tracy Heim of Bethel; two brothers, Dr. Robert Heim of St. Louis, Mo., and Ted Heim of Bridgewater; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass at St. Rose in Newtown will take place today (Friday) at 11:30 a.m. A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m. at Wilton Friends Meeting House, Route 106, Wilton.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name may be made to the Farmington River Angler’s Association (www.FRAA.org) or Trout Unlimited (www.tu.org).
Paula Fuller, 85, was active in local civic groups
Paula (Lapicki) Fuller, 85, of 203 Chestnut Grove, New Milford, died Dec. 9 at her home. She was the widow of Kermit C. Fuller.
Mrs. Fuller was born June 29, 1917, in New York City, daughter of the late William and Josephine Lapicki.
She was an executive secretary for many years for General Motors Corp. in Tarrytown, N.Y., and the Department of Defense in Washington D.C. She was also a secretary for the Stamford public school system.
She was a member of the Lake Waramaug Country Club and Pan-Am Clipper Pioneers. She was a former member of the New Milford Garden Club and the Business and Professional Women of New Milford and a was volunteer at New Milford Hospital. She was a communicant of Our Lady of the Lakes Church in New Milford.
Mrs. Fuller is survived by a son, Robert of Cape May Court House, N.J.; a daughter, Marilyn Kobara of Carmel Valley, Calif.; two brothers, Stanley Lapicki of Tarrytown, N.Y., and Theodore Lapicki of Thornwood, N.Y.; and a granddaughter.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lakes Church. Burial will take place in the spring.
Friends may call tonight (Friday) from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lillis Funeral Home, 58 Bridge St., New Milford.
Contributions in her memory may be made to New Milford Visiting Nurse Association, 68 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Frank Piskura, 91, had brothers in area towns
Frank Piskura, 91, of Pond Brook Road, Newtown, died Dec. 9 at Mediplex of Danbury.
Mr. Piskura was born March 28, 1911, in Brookfield, a son of the late Frank and Julia (Felisko) Piskura.
He moved to Newtown as an infant and was a farmer on the family farm until his retirement.
He is survived by two brothers, Martin of New Milford and Andrew of Roxbury; and three sisters, Mary of Southbury, Jenny of Bethel and Helen Wanzyk of Danbury
Private funeral services will be held today (Friday) at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main St., Newtown. Burial will be in St. Rose Cemetery. There are no calling hours.
Clifford P. Leach, 64, was retired K-C machinist
Clifford Phillip Leach, 64, of 8 Birch Drive, Warren, died Dec. 5 at New Milford Hospital. He was the widower of Geraldine (McCarroll) Leach.
Mr. Leach was born Sept. 16, 1938, in Stamford, the son of the late Clifford E. and Florence A. (Theiss) Leach.
He was a retired machinist from Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
A graveside service will be held in the spring at New Warren Cemetery.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford handled arrangements.
Samuel Knowles, 74, was active local volunteer
Samuel J. Knowles, 74, of 14 Hillendale Drive, New Milford, died Dec. 6 at New Milford Hospital. He was the widower of Agnes (Murphy) Knowles.
Mr. Knowles was born March 25, 1928, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, son of the late Samuel J. and Jean (Anderson) Knowles.
He came to the United States in 1964 and worked at Canterbury School for nine years, and then for the New Milford Board of Education for 22 years, retiring in 1995.
He was a member and past noble grand at Good Shepard Lodge No. 65 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in New Milford. He was also a member of Palm Rebekah, the Odd Fellows Encampment, the Democratic Town Committee and the New Milford Historical Society and was a current member of Butter Brook Hill Apartment’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Knowles was proclaimed “Irishman of the Year 2002” in New Milford March 18. He volunteered at the New Milford Nursing Home, New Milford Hospital, Candlewood Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center and the New Milford Thrift Mart.
He is survived by five nieces of Ballymena and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law of Bennington, Vt.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 100, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Elizabeth Jones, 85, was active in the community
Elizabeth B. Jones, 85, died Dec. 5 in The Kent Nursing Home in Kent.
Ms. Jones was born Aug. 25, 1917, in New York City, the daughter of the late J. Burnett and E. Pearle (Swan) Jones.
She lived most of her life in Flushing, N.Y., and moved to Candlewood Springs, New Milford, in 1980.
She attended schools in Flushing and graduated from Suffern High School, N.Y. In 1936, she graduated from the secretarial department of the Packard Commercial School in New York City.
Ms. Jones was employed at J.P. Morgan & Co., N.Y., as a stenographer, secretary and assistant to the director of women personnel. She worked for the American Red Cross as a secretary and relocation worker stationed in Tunisia, Italy and France.
She worked at R.H. Macy, Inc., as a personnel assistant and junior assistant buyer. With her sister, Dorothy, she was a founding co-proprietor, teacher and director of the Manhasset Nursery School on Long Island.
Ms. Jones was the Candlewood Springs Homeowners Association’s representative to the Grassroots Coalition in New Milford. She was a member and supporter of the Trust for Historic Preservation, the Pratt Center, the Animal Welfare Society of New Milford, MADD, the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations.
Ms. Jones is survived by a niece; three nephews; and 10 grandnephews and nieces.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Michael Smyrski Jr., 82, was New Milford native
Michael J. Smyrski Jr., 82, of 76 Merryall Road, New Milford, died Nov. 28 at New Milford Hospital. He was the husband of Carol Ann (Morasco) Smyrski.
Mr. Smyrski was born Dec. 11, 1919, in New Milford, son of the late Michael J. and Agnes (Franc) Smyrski.
He owned and operated the family farm in the Merryall section of New Milford until 1965. He then owned and operated The Country Package Store in Merryall for 15 years and retired in 1980.
Besides his wife, he is survived by a son, Michael III of New Milford, and a grandson, Michael.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made the charity of one’s choice.
